I'm worried I've got mild asthma but don't want to make a fuss

[Kissisforpirate]

I don't know if I'm overthinking things or not. I wheeze quite often. Several times people at work have asked if i have asthma. Sometimes when i exercise it can take me several minutes - 10 plus to stop wheezing and breathe normally. I have an umproductive dry cough and i wake up at night coughing, some nights. I just watched a youtube video of an asthma attack and it sounded like a far more serious version of how i am sometimes.

I feel like I've been to the Dr a lot this year with various issues (allergies, bad knee, cbt, ulcers, anti depressants) and i feel like I'm panicking about lots of things at the moment and being a nuisance.

If i have asthma it is really mild. Does it need to be diagnosed? Can it be diagnosed if I'm not wheezy at the time of the appointment?
I'm 37. Can asthma come on as an adult? Can i go to the drs and say im concerned for the reasons at the start if the post?
My bloody anxiety is not helping me make a decision.

[redexpat]

I suddenly started wheezing when I was 15. My mum was in her 50s when she started needing inhalers. So yes it can come on as an adult. I dont know if it will be the same for you but I was given a peak flow meter to blow into x2 a day. So if youre not wheezy at the appt you can measure during a wheezy period. My asthma is really mild. I only have a reliever spray, no preventative. I use it maybe x2 a year. Ive never had an attack. I dont go to swimming pools with lower ceilings because the chlorine really sets me off. And I dont exercise outside in the cold air anymore because im not 15 and I dont have to play hockey. I do find that if I get proper flu then the inhaler helps then.

[Kissisforpirate]

Thank you.
I don't think i wheeze daily. I'm not sure how often, its quite hit and miss a d now is just something that i do occasionally.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Just go and get checked! Ring your surgery - it's likely you'll need to see a GP first, but that they might refer to to a nurse.

Google adult onset asthma

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

It's important to get checked. If you develop a chest infection then you'll cope much better if you've already got inhalers and a plan in place, and I think you're eligible for the flu jab if you've got asthma.

I apparently don't have asthma, but have asthma type symptoms that flare up at certain times of year, and I usually need an inhaler during that time. The rest of the time I'm fine, it's weird.


Go see your GP

[Kissisforpirate]

All colds I've got this year have left me breathless and wheezing for a week or more afterwards. I had a shit chest infection in march which obvs i didnt2 go to the dr about until it was nearly gone.

Would a nurse practitioner see me?

[PurplePillowCase]

don't fuck about with your lungs. just make that appointment.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

You need to see a GP first to rule out anything else, and they'll then refer to the practice/asthma nurse

Why are you reluctant to see a GP about this? It sounds like you are having difficulties and it would be entirely appropriate to see a GP about this...

It's not normal for simple colds to leave you breathless and wheezy like that

[Callamia]

Taking ten minutes to get your breath back, and coughing at night isn’t ‘mild’.
I’ve had asthma since forever, and only now do I have weeks where I don’t use an inhaler. I would consider my asthma mild, and yours (if that’s what it is) as not yet controlled. Go and see someone.

[Kissisforpirate]

But the breathlessness only happens occasionally so i feel like it's not important enough to see a Dr about.

I think I'm reluctant to go as I think I'm being daft and will waste GP time. But if you all say these symptoms warrant a visit then I'll go.

Thank you.

[Kissisforpirate]

Also I feel like if i get diagnosed with yet another thing I'll have a meltdown, especially if it's a dangerous thing.

[PurplePillowCase]

well, asthma can kill you.
better get seen and get medication.

good luck

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

You absolutely do need to see a GP. These symptoms are not normal, or mild. Any breathlessness needs investigating (being out of breath is normal following exercise, breathlessness is different)

Glad you're going to book an appt.

[stubbornstains]

It won't take a great deal of a GP's time to check you over and prescribe you an inhaler (possibly two). If your surgery isn't overstretched, they may well call you in for annual asthma checks, too (I often ignore the summons ). That's it.

[Callamia]

It’s only dangerous if you can’t manage it effectively. Without the right medication, you can’t. Go.

[Kissisforpirate]

Oh. Ok. I'm told. I'm at the surgery tomorrow for a counselling session so will talk to the receptionists then.
Thanks all.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Well, if you do have asthma then it's more dangerous if not diagnosed, so look at it that way.
It may well not be asthma. I've had similar symptoms in the past following a series of chest infections, and had the brown inhaler for about 6 months, but aside from feeling wheezy in March, I don't have any other symptoms now

I do take medication that may explain some of the symptoms

[Wolfiefan]

Untreated asthma is dangerous.
I rarely wheeze. But I do have asthma.
Allergies and asthma are often linked. Do you have eczema?
And trust me. You'll feel much better if you can breathe!!

[DoubleDinghyRapids]

Get it checked.

I’m not saying this to scare you but wheezing isn’t lanky a symptom of asthma. Back in April I started very similar to you, kept telling myself it’s nothing, I coughed up a lottt of mucus but only when blood started appearing in it did I see GP. I was diagnosed with summat called brinchiaecstasis (sp is wrong I know) a month ago, since April I have had four chest infections, my airways are constantly inflamed, I cough up blood daily, I feel like I’m drowning when I lay down and it can’t be cured, but can be managed and I so wish I’d gone to gp earlier because my chest infection could have been treated earlier and permanent damage to lungs may well have been a lot less, I’ve felt like utter shit the last few months, I’ve been a cunt to live with because I’m in pain and not sleeping and snapping and inhalers and very high doses of antibiotics and steroids have not reduced anything.

I’ve had an appointment today and have been given anothervery hugh high dose of antibiotics Ives the next day or two and then I’m going to be admitted to be admitted to hospital for at least two weeks to have antibiotics via an IV, a camera in lungs along with a flushing lungs out and physio to learn how to safely clear mucus out at home. Have been told that I’m to get two weeks worth of double strength minim antibiotics on a regular basis as a preventative measure.

All because I didn’t want to make a fuss over my initial slight wheezing. Get it checked, it’s better to be a nuisance than leave it to potentially get worse.

[Butterymuffin]

If you're partly bothered about being a nuisance to the NHS, you'll be far more of a nuisance if they have to admit you to hospital after a worse attack. Far better and less of a drain on resources to be diagnosed and sent off with an inhaler for when you need one and a yearly check up. But it will also put your mind at rest and make sure you're treated effectively for chest infections if needsbe.

[whosahappyharry]

Don't worry about making a fuss, you can't fuck about when it comes to lungs. My asthma first presented like yours at 16, dry cough that did not go away after a viral infection and occasionally breathlessness and night waking. Really mild.

But it can get much worse if you do not get on top of it and aren't careful - here I'm a prime example, this happened to me on Monday. Never had an asthma attack before, had a viral infection which I didn't even know about, been taking ibuprofen for a few days, weather changed and working night shifts - hadn't taken my preventer inhaler for months - 10 puffs of salbutamol not helping, phone 111 and they sent an ambulance. I was fine in the end but honestly thought I was about to die, it's really fucking frightening. I'm on a course of oral steroids that I shouldn't have needed if I'd been more on top of recognising things were getting worse and good with my medication.

[Kissisforpirate]

Had an appointment. I have a chest infection. No idea i had it. Thought i was just rundown due to work and a toddler. I was toldto make an appt with the asthma nurse if im still wheezing once the infection has cleared.

[Kissisforpirate]

Update in case anyone is reading - had a gp appt. He gave me a peak flow test and it came out at about 350 and should be 420 ish. He thinks it sounds like asthma and has referred me to spirometry and for a chest x ray, and prescribed an inhaler, aero chamber and a peak flow tester. Said asthma wont be confirmed until ive had spirometry done but there's a 6 month waiting list.
Did my peak flow this morning and got 150 -250, over 3 tries.
I now constantly feel tight in my chest and i remember that i used to be able to breathe freely. I'm worn out and scared.

[DottyGiraffe]

Try not to worry, easier said than done though I know. Peak flow might be a bit hiss and miss initially until you get used to doing it. Also anxiety, about the peak flows for example, will make your chest tight and so on which would make it harder to do the peak flow.

If your chest is tight, or you have other symptoms, use the inhaler and see if it helps. The Asthma UK helpline is supposed to be very good, staffed by nurses, so you could chat to them too if it would help, particularly as GPs will be lacking over the next few days.

[pterobore]

Please phone the asthma helpline they are lovely. There are stronger inhalers you can have

[Fairylea]

If your peak flow is that low and you are having chest tightness you should go to a and e to be honest. You may need a nebuliser and some steroids. You really can’t mess about with asthma.

I had asthma as a child and then it seemed to get better and had years of no inhalers at all. Then aged 35 it came back with a vengeance. I now take Seretide 125 and have a blue inhaler and I have steroids to use if it gets really bad. My chest pains were so bad I ended up at a and e thinking I was having a heart attack - it was the asthma. It can be really nasty.

I have a care plan from my asthma nurse which says that if my peak flow goes under 320 (and doesn’t improve with the blue inhaler) then I need to seek medical help - my peak flow is supposed to be about 450 like yours.